Falling Over again
by Hoshi The Forgoton One
Summary: Hoshi is an 18 year old smack adicted stripper with a dark past. Now she has returned to Tokyo looking for her two best friends that she lost long ago, Herro and Keiichiro.Parings, HoshiKeii, HerroIchigo, RyouLettuce, PuddingTart and MintZakuro
1. Chapter 1

Hello, and welcome to Tokyo Mew Mew from the minds of myself, Hoshi, and my boyfriend, Herro. Now first off I would like to welcome you with a disclamer that ither of us doesn't own Tokyo Mew Mew, but we do own Hoshi and Herro.

Now our TMM world is moddled a few years after the Tokyo Mew Mew season one, because Herro and I hate Berry. Also Masaya will not be existing in this story because I hate him, a lot. So he will have dumped Ichigo and the blue knight powers will have be transfored to another person.

Now this will be rated as an M fan fic, because of voilence, language, adult situations, and sexual content.

Onto the couples,  
Hoshi/Keiichiro, Ichigo/Herro, Ryou/Lettuce, Mint/Zakuro

One more thing, please try to ignore some of the spelling mistakes and bad grammer, I do not have a spell/gramer check on my lap top and the online spell check isn't working that well.

Now Onto the FanFic!

* * *

Falling Over Again

Chapter 1

It was a nice and cold winter afternoon in Tokyo, and a girl about 18 only wrapped on a thin sweater over her work cloths was walking threw the snow covered streets. She felt crappy this morning and really just wanted to be in bed, but needed to be where she was. Standing by a frozen water fountain in the middle of the Tokyo park. A man finally came up to her and they slipped each other something by just a touch of their hand. With that she left and headed out of the part for work. She was shivering madly but continued on. Once she got to work, she would be fine and warm.

The park was empty, mostly because the night before there was a light snowfall, and her eyes began to wander as she looked at the sene. She couldn't remember the last time she had been able to enjoy what was around her. The beautiful snow was shimmering in the sunlight, or the sound of the snow bird's sweet song. She coughed and felt her body bang into something and she fell to the cold ground.

"OW," she mumbled, and looked up from the ground. There was a man standing over her. He had a long black jacket on and he seemed to be caring a sword. From where she was sitting his face wasn't very visible.

"Oh I'm sorry," he said in a kind voice and held out his hand to help her. "I must not have been looking where I was going."

"No," she said taking his hand, "It was my fault I was distracted."

When she was standing his face became for visible, he was very handsome. He had short blond hair, and gorgeous blue eyes. There was also a scar on his cheek, and he smiled as she continued to shiver.

"Here," he said taking off his jacket and putting it on her. "You need this more than I do."

"Oh no," she said. "I really can't take this."

"It's mine to give, just promise that you will wear it."

She smiled, he almost seemed filmier to her. "My name is Hoshi," she finally said. "May I ask yours?"

"Herro."

Hoshi stopped breathing and she felt her pulse skip a beat. This couldn't be right.

"Herro? Is that really you Herro?" she asked as she caught her breath.

He stared hard at her, like he was searching every part of her body and he was trying to remember who she was. His eyes lit up and he automatically pulled Hoshi into a hug. He lifted her up and even spun her around. Hoshi began to giggle as she wrapped her own arms around him.

"It's been way too long Herro," Hoshi said happily.

"Your telling me!" he said smiling himself, "Like five years too long. I didn't know you were back in Tokyo!"

"I've actually been back for about a year. I went looking for you and Keiichiro but after we had to split up I had no idea where to start."

"Well you couldn't find me because, I came back home about two months ago my mother died and I had to come home for the funeral," Herro looked down and away from Hoshi's eyes.

"Oh I'm sorry Hun...I know how you feel," she whispered. "You remember what happened..." She sighed trailing off herself. In a few moments she realized that she was going to be late.

"Herro," she said to change the mood. "I need to get going to work. Lets try and get together sometime." She smiled to try and lighten the mood.

"Oh of corse, hey let me walk you there. You look like your about to pass out," he said while taking her arm.

"No!" she quickly responded, "That isn't nessiary Herro. We were going in different directions and I am going to be fine now that you gave me your jacket. Which by the way you are going to get back the next time we see each other."

"No I insist Hoshi," he said. "Plus it gives us a few more minuets to catch up. Also I can get your phone number so we can meet up again."

"Really Herro," she persisted, "It's no problem I am not going to far..." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a pen and took his hand. "Here's the number of the place I am staying OK? I gotta run."

She smiled again and quickly darted to work tring her best to avoid the ice patches along the street and the side walk. When she finally reached her work the doorman let her in a grumbled, "Your late, hurry up before your show starts."

"Thanks Yoko," she said and ran to her dressing room and pulled off Herro's jacket and her sweater. She was luckily enough to have most of her dance cloths on any way. She put on some quick makeup, and tied her hair back. It was a really goodnight for tips.

Hoshi's crowd was packed, she was becoming one of the more popular dancers at the strip club. She was small and very flexible, so she could work the poll really easily. Tonight was her first night as the main dancer, she could make up to 1000 dollars, and she felt like she was going to topple over.

She just had to consintrate, it was her night to shine, and know that for once she didn't have to go hungry for a day. With this money she could pay her rent, cell phone bill, and eat something besides diet coke and cigarettes.

Her eyes were closed as she began to calm her nerves, she only hoped that she wouldn't get into trouble tonight, all she really wanted to was sleep.

"Now here she is the girl you have been waiting for, our all time sexiest girl, the feline of the stage! Hoshi the Cat!"

Hoshi quickly walked onto stage and took her position on her poll. And went to work, the men cheered and held out bills upon bills. She fought to keep her concentration, and managed to turn her mistakes, like stumbling, or lagging on the poll into her act. After working here for about a year in a half, she found that it was easier to make eye contact with only a few men at a time, so she wouldn't be so overwhelmed. Tonight impartially...There were the normal men, the business people looking for a way to unwind after work, but tonight there was this one guy. He was gorgeous, and looked very American with his bright blond hair. He was watching her every move it seemed.

She jumped from stage to stage using the dance polls as leverage, and used the whole room as her stage. Until she was right next to him, and gave him a sexy smile. The other men were hooting and hollering as she began to strip off her clothing and throw it around the room. She still wanted to feel slightly conservative for now because she left on her undergarments.

His eyes never left hers, and once he seamed to be satisfied slipped her a bill and she went back to the main stage. Her song was almost over and she wanted to finish it off on the poll, so she could have something to hang onto. She was exhausted and really wanted the extra support, she promised herself that she was going to finish her dance no matter what.

Before she realized it, the music stopped, the men finished throwing their money to her, and she was in the back sprawled out on one of the benches. Her breathing was heavy and shallow. She was drenched with sweat, and shivering. At least it was over. She slowly sat up, trying to make the room stop spinning. Herro's jacket was nearby, and pulled it on and relaxed in comfort and warmth. She could almost feel that it was his strong arms around her keeping her warm. She was so happy to have found her best friend again. Her Herro.

By the end of the night Hoshi had made over $600 dollars. At that time though she felt like she was going to pass out from exhaustion and her fever. She just wanted to get home and sleep the weekend away, she was happy that she didn't have to work for a few days.

"Hey Kitty," Yoko said as she started to leave. It was his nickname for her, "Boss wants to see you in his office before you go home."

"KK Fox," Hoshi's nickname for him, "Thanks a lot." She turned to leave and Yoko called to her.

"Nice show Kitty," he said.

"Thanks!"

She went up stairs to her boss's office, he was a big guy, and a total pimp. "Well little Hoshi has finally grown up hasn't she," he said in a sly voice. "You brought me in a lot of money tonight honey."

"thank you sir," she said in a quiet voice, she was always afraid to look in his eyes.

"And now my little kitty cat," he said. She hated when he used that name. "You got another job on your hands, a privet gig for a very rich man. He saw you here tonight and wants you and a few others to do a birthday. He will pay really good money to both me and you."

"Really sir, well I will do it of course," she said.

"I knew you would kitty cat. You could use the money like every other girl in this place. The job is in two days, come here first to get the group together and I will have Yoko take you all to the sight. Be here at 8 and don't be late or you will lose pay got that?"

"Yes sir," she said.

"Good girl, now get out of here before I get any bad ideas."

She quickly turned and went back down stairs, two days...Well so much for doing what she planed. She didn't want to think about that now, she was tired, sick, and freezing. She just wanted to get home and sleep, maybe shoot up, but sleep was what she wanted the most.

Her apartment was about fifteen blocks after she crossed that park. It was about 1/4 of a mile, in the dark freezing winter, at about one in the morning. She was use to walking this walk, she did it almost every night. She knew where to avoid the perverts, and the rapist. She knew where the druggies hung out, and where the cops would catch them. It was just a normal walk home for her, only tonight she was so discombobulated from her fever she couldn't think about all of those things. She just wanted to get home to her futon and wrap herself up in Herro's jacket and her mother's afghan.

Hoshi's head was spinning, her eyes half closed as she walked through the park. Her legs were wobbling like she was trying to walk on a tightrope, not solid grown.

"Home Hoshi," she thought. "Just get home girl, then we can sleep until we get our high on."

She slipped her hand into her pocket and felt that small little packet of white escape. She would have all day tomorrow before her job, so she could sleep until she woke up, and then just drift away. If she didn't now that is. At the end of that park Hoshi missed stepped and hit an ice patch. She hit the ground hard, her side whacking against the concrete. She heard a loud crack and her arm went numb with pain, she rolled over onto her back her eyes halfway open. She was in a lot of pain, but had strength to pick herself off of the ground.

Within a few moments though she herd a voice, "You take a spill Missy?" is hissed, "here let me help you up."

Hoshi managed to reach out her good arm and stared at the blurry figure. Instead of grabbing it though, the voice gripped on hard to her injured arm. Hoshi yelled in pain, but was soon muffled by some sort of cloth. "Now you shut that pretty little mouth of yours," it hissed. "You know when to be quiet, so just do it.."

The voice, which Hoshi now guessed to be a man, began to run his extra hand up and down her body. Feeling all over and exposing her to the cold. Hoshi couldn't do anything now, she was paralyzed with pain. His arm was tightly gripped onto her bad arm. His hands started to slide into her pockets and touch her bare flesh. "Oh your got quite a stash her pretty," he hissed when he found the money she had made that night, as well as her smack.

When he was about to start pulling off her cloths he sudently stopped, and pulled away from Hoshi, just leaving her there. Hoshi was shivering with cold and fear. She could barely stay concuss, didn't even have enough strength to pull Herro's jacket over her now exposed body. All she could do was wish for someone to come by and save her.

She closed her eyes and felt herself start to drift away, when she was jerked away. Something, or someone wrapped their arms around her covering her with Herro's jacket, and keeping her warm with what felt like another.

"Stay away," her savior said. "You need to stay with me until we get out of this cold. Your going to be OK."

The voice sounded so nice, and caring, almost like an old friend. He continued to talk to her, getting simple yes's and no's out of her. The most though he got out of her was, "My arm," and "Right."

Soon though there was bight lights that stung her eyes and she quickly closed them. Heat, warmth, it was so calming.

"See I told you," her savior said, "Your going to make it."

She was placed down onto something soft like a bed, or couch. She could barely keep her eyes open now, and felt the jackets being pulled off her. He was so careful not to hurt her, that she didn't protest. She was still freezing and her snow wet cloths weren't helping her warm up. She was actually not even caring that some man was taking off her cloths, she trusted him and even felt her arm gently being lifted over what seemed to be a blanket of some sort.

"You can go to sleep now," that kind voice said to her. "I'm just going to wrap and ice your arm. So just sleep."

Hoshi's head moved a little like she nodded and finally drifted off warm and comfortable. She would have to thank who ever this person was for saving her life.

After their mystery guest had fallen asleep and was tended too two men, one with striking blond hair, and the other long brown were talking quietly to one another.

"So you really think it is her?"

"Ya, there is no doubt in my mind, it's Hoshi."

**Hoshi: Well what do you think? Don't worry, the Mew girls will be in the next chapter. So read and review!  
Hoshi**


	2. Chapter 2

I am actually going to update, Sorry I have lost my muse for a while, and well high school ended and college is officially here.

So onto the disclaimer! I don't own Tokyo Mew Mew, Nor will I ever! But I do Hoshi and well I can say Herro, but my boyfriend really owns him.

So onto the story.

Chapter 2

Hoshi groaned and rolled over. There was a warm blanket wrapped around her, and her arm was tightly bound. After a few moments of confusion, she realized that she was in a bed, changed into a large t-shirt. The sun was shining on her face, and she blinked and moved out of the sun beam.

It was then she sat up quickly, last night in the park she was attacked, and a man saved her. She placed her hand to her forehead her fever had broken. She just wished she knew where she was, it wasn't the first time she woke up in a strange bedroom, but at least she remembered getting there those times. She looked around the room, her cloths and Herro's jacket were piled neatly on a dresser. She jumped out of bed and searched the pockets. It was gone, the money she had made, as well as her drugs. She fell to her knees in defeat. If she couldn't pay her landlord tomorrow he was going to kick her out. She was going to be homeless.

She stood up again and went back to the bed and fell back onto it. She heard something fall, and she looked up. A picture had fallen over, she sat on her knees and picked up the picture. She would have just placed it back, but her eyes fixed on it.

It was a picture of three kids, two boys and a girl. They were covered and flour and there was an obvious mess on the kitchen counter. The three children didn't care, they smiled and held up their sweets that they attempted to make.

Hoshi's touched the picture, running her fingers over each of the children's faces and she felt tears start to form in her eyes. She remembered this day, and when this picture was taken. She remembered the mess she had to clean up, how awful her cookies tasted, and the flour fight that got her into this messy state. She had this same picture on her dresser at home, it was the day before her entire world came tumbling around her. Herro, and Keiichiro had been there for her the entire time, the same two boys she was looking for the last year.

She put the picture down and quickly changed into her cloths, realizing that whomever it was saw her work outfit, but she might be lucky enough that they couldn't put two and two together. As she was slipping on her sweater she let out a light grown as a sleeve got caught on her bandage. She only hoped it would be better soon. She quickly made the bed she was sleeping in and folded the shirt and placed it on top.

She was about to head out of the room when there was a knock on the door. Hoshi turned and looked at the door, she opened it, and standing there was the cutest girl she had ever seen. At first she was confused on why she was wearing a maid's outfit, but that smile made her forget about it. She was a teenager about 14 or 15, she had short blond hair, but she smiled like a child still.

"Hi your awake!!" she said, "I'm Pudding Fong, My boss sent me up here to see if you were awake and to have you come downstairs. Ok let's go!!" She grabbed Hoshi by the hand and pulled her threw the hallways and down the stairs.

"So you're feeling better? I heard that you got hurt last night, I'm glad that your better now, I hate being sick and hurt, I don't get to come to work and be with my friends and I can't do much for my brothers and sisters. But it's great that you're better, well your harm looks hurt, but you're up and about and that is all we can hope for, ok here we are!" she smiled at Hoshi as they made it to a kitchen area, Hoshi hadn't been able to get a word in when they had been walking . And Pudding seemed to run off just as quickly when she had taken Hoshi to the kitchen.

She looked into the room, there was just a short swinging down separating her from the kitchen. She saw, well it was him. It was Keiichiro. The man she had been looking for since she returned to Tokyo. She knocked on the door, not really knowing what else to do.

"Lettuce, you know that you don't need to be so polite when you need something from me," he said, without turning around.

"Lettuce?" Hoshi answered, "Is that another one of your employers?"

Keiichiro stopped what he was doing and turned around, he had a warm smile across his face, and Hoshi smiled back.

"I didn't expect to wake up in your bed any time soon Keii…Nor did I expect that you would be my knight in shining armor again. I thought we had grown out of that," Hoshi walked inside the kitchen, and was pulled into a hug.

"Well I didn't expect that I would find you being attacked in Tokyo Park in the middle of winter!" he said and gave her a squeeze. "I didn't expect that I would ever see you again Hoshi."

"I know Keii, I never expected to be back, but a lot of things we don't expect to happen tend to happen," she let him go and smiled. "But I'm back now, and I want to thank for everything you did for me last night. I'm sorry if I worried you, I just pushed myself to hard with a fever."

Keiichiro rubbed Hoshi's head playfully, "Is that anything new?" he said, "I am just glad you are up and about, your arm is just sprained, nothing broken."

"So Keii!" Hoshi said changing the topic, "What are you doing here? Last time I saw you, I was in a taxi going to the airport from America. I never thought you would ever want to come back, after seeing al l of the work you were doing and the beautiful house you were living in."

Keiichiro looked down, "Well, there was an accident and Ryou's mother and father were killed. So he decided he wanted to come back to Tokyo, and I came with him. We have been here for about wow seven years now."

"So you're telling me that for the past ten yours you have been working as a café's head baker?" she said, "I never would have expected that. I always thought that you would be a famous archeologist that found the tomb on Cleopatra or something like that."

"Well life takes some unexpected turns," he said and went back to working, "I never expected to find you ever again. And look your standing next to me, in my kitchen."

"Keiichiro I need more Mew Hot Cakes! They are selling like, well hot cakes!" A girl came into the kitchen, her hair was tied in two little pig tails and she had a bell around her neck. "Oh excuse me!" She said noticing that Hoshi was there, "I didn't know that Keiichiro had someone back here."

"It's ok Ichigo," Keiichiro answered, "This is my very old friend Hoshi, she was just visiting for a few hours,"

Ichigo smiled at Hoshi, "Hello, I'm Ichigo Momomiya, I work here with Keiichiro it's nice to meet you," she said and bowed respectfully.

Hoshi bowed back, "Hello I'm Hoshi Shirubaneko, it's nice to meet you Ichigo," she smiled as well. Ichigo was very cute looking.  
"Well Ichigo here is your order," Keiichiro said, and handed her a plate of hot cakes shaped like different girls. "And why don't you tell the other girls that we have a guest so no one…Is surprised when they walk in."  
"Ok! Thank you Keiichiro, and it was nice meeting you Hoshi," she smiled and left.

"Well she is really cute Keii," Hoshi said as Ichigo, "As a matter of fact that other girl Pudding that you had bring me down here was cute as well. How many other cute girls work here?"

"Well besides Ichigo and Pudding we have Lettuce Midorikawa, Mint Aizawa, and Zakuro Fujiwara," he said.

"Wait, you have the Zakuro Fujiwara working here?" Hoshi asked, "Now that is something I really don't understand. She is a famous model/actress and she works at a common Tokyo Café in her spare time?"

"Well if you don't believe me you can meet her yourself when she comes back here to get an order," he said, "So what about you Hoshi? Where have you been these past ten years?" He smiled and handed her a cup of tea, as he let some food bake in the oven.

"Me?" she asked, "Well…I went to find myself for a while, it's a very long story, and well a lot of things happened to me. I never did get to make it big like I wanted, so I have been ending up hitting odd job after odd job to make the rent or buy myself dinner. We really don't need to talk about my crazy life right now, that is all in the past. You will never guess who I literally bumped in yesterday," she ended on a happy note to once again move the conversation.

"Who?" he asked,

"Herro," she said with a big grin.

"Really?" He said, "I didn't realize that he was back in town. Man it is going to be a reunion or what?"

"I know, maybe my luck is going to turn around now that my two brothers are back with me," she said in a low tone. "I mean I had seen him a few years ago, but we parted ways."

"Well the last time I saw him, was well the last time I saw you I think," he said taking a sip of his tea. "Time does fly doesn't it?"

"So speaking of time, where is Ryou?" Hoshi asked, "I know that little genius boy is still hanging around you, he would never want to leave his best friend."

"Um…I think is he working on something downstairs, let me just give him a quick text," he pulled out his cell phone, "He will want to see you as well Hoshi."

It was only a few seconds after that Ryou came rushing into the kitchen, "Keiichiro we have a situation!" he stopped midsentence when he saw Hoshi, "The hot water heater in the basement is starting to go out of control and I need you to go work on it. I'll stay here with Hoshi."

"Oh, Yes thanks Ryou," he said and put his cup down still working as calm as ever, "Hoshi if you will excuse me for a few."

"Sure, you run the place and I wouldn't want anyone to get hurt," she said. "And hi Ryou!" she went over and gave him a hug a Keiichiro rushed out.

"Hoshi!" Ryou said, "It is nice to see you, I hope you're feeling better, when Keiichiro brought you in last night you were pretty messed up."

She blushed, "Yes thank you," she said. "I'm sorry if I was an inconvenience to you, and thanks."

"It's alright Hoshi, It's not your fault that you were mugged…And on the topic of that, did that jack ass take anything from you?"

Hoshi frowned just like Ryou to get to the point, and when she was trying to avoid it at all cost. "He took my pay check," she said not even trying to lie to Ryou, he could see threw it. "I had just cashed it that afternoon so I could pay my landlord."

"And how much was it?" he asked, "You know I will be able to pay you back Hoshi, if you need it."

"No Ryou don't worry about it," she said. "I don't want to bother you and Keii and more you have done a lot for me already. I'm in dept enough for what your father did for me all those years ago."

"Nonsense Hoshi," Ryou said, "My mother and father loved having you around the hose for those two months. Keiichiro liked it to, I had never seen him so happy to have someone around. Really Hoshi, what is a month's rent? 600?"

"Ryou really!" Hoshi pleaded, "I'm going to be stubborn about this,"

Ryou crossed him arms, "And you know how stubborn I can be, if this is going to turn into a battle of wits I am going to end up calling your landlord myself and asking myself."

"Well then the battle of wits will happen because you don't know where I live to begin with!" She said smiling in victory.

"No, that is true…But I do know something about you Hoshi. And you're probably going to hate me for knowing this totally," he said with a sigh, he knew this was going to come up, he just didn't expect it to come out so soon.

"What are you talking about Ryou?" She asked, "I haven't seen you in seven years, how could you know something…." She stopped, as she looked into Ryou's eyes; the man from the club. "Ryou…You don't. You didn't. No"

He sighed and pulled out a card in his pocket, Hoshi didn't have to read it to recognize it, the fact that it was lime green gave it away; her work card.

"That was you?" she asked. "The blond man that was watching from the back, that was you." She turned away, her face was red with anger and embarrassment. "You didn't tell him did you?"

"No Hoshi," he said, "I was hoping that you would. I didn't expect him to bring you in last night."

"Why would I tell him Ryou!" She almost yelled. "What am I suppose to say! "Hey Keii it's been a long time since I saw you, and oh by the way I am a stripper."

"No Hoshi," he said and went to her, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I wanted to help you get out of that place before he would have even known."

"No Ryou!" she said turning around, "You know there would be no way to get me out, my boss…he likes things that make him money, and you were there, you saw the crowd. Heck think about what I could bring in if I wasn't sick."

"Don't worry I have a plan believe me," Ryou said. "You will see, I have ways of working Hoshi. Think of this as Keiichiro's birthday present."

"Ryou what?" she asked, but before she finished Keiichiro came back in, "The water heater problem has been fixed." He announced, "And Ichigo would like to speak with you Ryou."

"Ok, she can wait though. I was just repaying Hoshi the money that the mugger stole from her," he said smiling in victory and pulled out his checkbook.

Hoshi frowned and glared at him, "Thank you Ryou," she said threw gritted teeth.

Ryou smiled, "No problem Hoshi" he said and left.

"You should have said something to me Hoshi," Keiichiro said. "You know that you don't need to hide anything from me."

"I know Keii," she said, "I just didn't want to worry you, you did so much for me, and I know I could get by, Ryou is just a persistent bastard."

"That doesn't matter Hoshi," Keiichiro said, "It's not your fault that that man mugged you, and you know that you will never be able to see him again. That guy probably spent your money on drugs or a hooker."

OK That is it for now, cuz this thing is long and I am sleepy!

May the stars guide you  
Hoshi


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer! I do not own TMM, TT pouting  
BUT!! I do own Hoshi, she is mine and mine alone! You cannot take me away from myself!  
And Herro belongs to my love, though in my mind I own him as well.

So any who, sry I don't update enough, I um…Have a life, but I guess that is not an excuse because my life consist of Anime, Videogames, my BF, and my Anime Club. Oh yah and College….  
But still, I am really trying to get this done I swear!  
I love my readers!!  
Ok on to the story, and yes the TMM girls will start showing up more and there will be more TMM action!

* * *

Chapter 3

"Yah, probably…" Hoshi said with a sigh. "Well who knows what else could have happened if you hadn't shown up when you did. What were you doing out so late at that side of town anyway?" she asked.

"Oh well, I was ah, I had been a block over at a business meeting. Ryou and I want to expand the café and I knew of a contractor that lived around that area who needed some work," he said and turned his back to continue working.

"So tell me Keii," Hoshi said noticing that he clearly wanted to change topic. "Why did you and Ryou decide to go into the Café business? I mean, Ryou is a total genius, and you are so skilled with technology I would think that you would be running some sort of scientific experiment, or be researching the cure for cancer."

"Well we thought it would be something more practical and realistic," he answered as he checked the various ovens full of baked goods. "Ryou decided that he wasn't ready to follow in his dad's footsteps just yet, and I promised that I would support him through thick and thin, so we decided to put my baking skills and his management skills together and create the Mew Mew Café."

"So, if you don't mind me asking, what happened Keii? And if you have been home for so long, then why didn't you come find me? Or Herro even?" she asked.

Keiichiro sighed, "I'm sorry Hoshi, I guess I just can't tell you right now," he put whatever he was messing with down and turned to her. "A lot has changed in these past few years. I wasn't ready to try and combine my past and my present yet. I guess I don't have much of a choice now, because I did find you Hoshi. You're here with me, and I couldn't be happier right now. I know that you're not ready either, to tell me your story that is. I just want you to know that I am here to help you, with anything at all. I may not be the same guy that watched your taxi drive away all those years ago, but I still am Keiichiro, your knight in shining armor."

(I'm sorry to break in the story like this, and so soon in the beginning, I just have to say. "Holy shit I didn't realize that I was THAT cheesy!! I mean really! Thank you and onto the cheesiness)

Hoshi blinked, "Keiichiro. I really don't know what to say. Really I have no idea what to say to that at all," she said biting her lip, and her eyes turned red.

"I know Hoshi," Keiichiro said and moved closer with his arms opened expecting a hug. "Just let it out it is ok."

Hoshi held her lip for a few more seconds, and then couldn't hold it back any more; she busted out laughing as her eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry Keiichiro that is the lamest thing I have ever heard," she said threw gasps.

Keiichiro frowned, "Hey I was trying to be sincere Hoshi," he said and backed away. "That's just not nice!"

She caught her breath and finally stopped, "I know Keii, I'm sorry but I just didn't know what else to do. I never realized that you could be that lame!" She came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his body.  
"But I never said it wasn't sweet," she said her voice turning more serious. "No one has said something so meaningful and loving to me in a long time."

Keiichiro smiled and held her hands to his chest, "Well Hoshi of course I care for you, you are my oldest friend, even if it has been forever since I saw you. Now! No more mushy stuff, would you like some breakfast? I have some muffins just coming out of the oven, and I can make you anything else you want."

Hoshi and Keiichiro continued to talk in the kitchen Hoshi eventually started to help out in the back, it almost seemed normal that she was back there, and for the first time in a very long time, she found herself smiling again.

At the front of Café Mew Mew Ichigo was busy as always, running from table to table almost like she was doing all of the work.

" Mint please can't you get table 4 for me? I need to clear off table 7 for someone!" She asked as she ran by.

Mint just sighed and ignored her, and continued to drink her tea. It was her favorite blend made by Keiichiro that she loved so much. Zakuro sighed and came up to Mint,

"Mint, you can come back to your tea later, don't forget it is the day when the "special guy" comes into the café and you know how much Ichigo has been hurting since Masaya dumped her for some hore he got knocked up in Europe," she said in a low voice.

Mint sighed, "Oh yes today is that day isn't it?" she sighed, "I will just have to make her clean my tables at the end of the day for this favor won't I?" She stood up with a little grin and went to get table 4's order.

Pudding and Lettuce were still their normal selves, one hyperactive and the other clumsy as ever. The two made an odd pair at work, but over the years Pudding started to learn how to make a show out of Lettuce dropping trays and dishes. Now only one or two plates were broken a week instead of the normal seven to ten.

"Aww, I don't like the days that Akasaka-san has to stay in the back and bake all day! I like it when he can come out and spend time with us!" Pudding complained while behind the cash register next to Ryou.

"Yes Pudding, but if anyone besides him could bake they would help him," he said with a sigh. "Besides today he has his guest, and would probably prefer it back there."

"So is that why you are out here to Ryou?" Ichigo asked when she came up with a check. "That girl and Keiichiro seem to know each other well don't they?"

"That's Hoshi," Ryou said, "One of Keiichiro's old friends. They knew each other before I met him when he came to work for my father in America."

"Really?" Ichigo said, "It's amazing that they would be able to keep in touch for so many years."

"So they why is this the first time she stayed over?" Pudding asked, she being the only one who knew that Hoshi had spent the night. "Does that mean that Keiichiro has someone he is in love with?"

Ryou frowned, "It's complicated with them," he answered, "It's not something I can get into only observe…And yes I know the rest of you want to go into the back more and get a chance to talk to her and not just introduce yourselves! Wait until after work!"

The girls sighed and shuffled back into work, it was then that Ichigo smiled, her mystery man had arrived. She walked up to him and smiled, "Welcome to the Mew Mew Café sir! Would you like your normal spot?"

The man smiled, "Good morning Ichigo! Yes I would and you can just give me my normal drink. I don't have much time today sorry."

"Sure I will get right on it!" She said with a smile and went into the back where she walked into Keiichiro and Hoshi giggling about an old memory. "I'm sorry!" She said when they stopped. "I was just coming in to get an order. Don't worry I can make it myself."

"Don't worry about it Ichigo" Hoshi said kindly, "Actually I think I am going to follow you back outside. I want to meet the girls that have been spending so much time around Keiichiro. That is if you don't mind if I bother your employees do you?"

"Don't worry about it Hoshi," Keiichiro said. "Just don't let Pudding try to knock balanced plates off your head, I've lost to many good plates that way, and if you run off I am going to hunt you down."

Hoshi smiled, "Don't worry, it's going to be harder to get rid of me now that I know where you live!" she giggled again, "So Ichigo if you are all set, I would love to see the other side of this place."

"Sure!" Ichigo said happily, as she finished making the mixed coffee drink, "Let's go you can follow me around if you want. Don't let the other girls bagger you with too many questions."

"Don't worry I think I can handle my own," she answered and they both walked out of the kitchen.

"So Ichigo!" Hoshi said making small talk, "How long have you been working at the café?"

"Let's see," she pondered, "I think it's been about four years now, I just love it so much, and Ryou and Keiichiro are such great bosses. Plus the pay is good!"

She moved in between a few tables, and headed to a man in the corner with his back to them. But before Hoshi could make it there with Ichigo, she was grabbed from behind and pulled behind a column.

"Shhh," the girl who grabbed her said. She looked to be about Ichigo's age, but hat blue hair tied up in buns. "Ichigo has had a crush on that man since he started coming in the same time once a week. She is the only one that has ever waited on her. We are waiting to see if she is asked out."

Hoshi was slightly confused but watched and Ichigo gave the man his coffee and started to turn slightly pink as they began to chat casually. At one point or another she turned bright red and twitched happily, and she heard the girl behind her whisper, "Yes go get him Ichigo."

It looked like something was about to happen but everyone's eyes turned when there was a loud crash in the middle of the room. Another girl's face turned bright red as she began to clean up a broken glass quickly. "Lettuce you ruined the moment!" the girl whispered to herself. It was then Hoshi looked back at Ichigo and the man, they had also turned their heads to see what had happened.

It was then that Hoshi and the man's eyes met, and once more Hoshi smiled. "HERRO!!" She said happily and ran to the table to give the man a hug. "Now I think your stalking me!"

Ichigo looked slightly confused, and stepped back, "Hoshi?? You know Herro?" she asked a little bit of disappointment in her voice.

"Know him?" Hoshi said, "Just like Keiichiro I've known Herro for years! This is the second time in about ten years that we bumped into each other."

"Wait Ichigo" Herro said, "You know Keiichiro?"

"Yes, he is my boss," Ichigo said still kind of confused on what was going on.

"Yes, he and I came across each other last night Herro. He is one of the owners of this place! I can't believe you haven't seen him," Hoshi said the grin across her face just not disappearing.

"Well," Herro said. "I was busy here when I came in; I never have time to check out the rest of the staff."

Ichigo blushed a little, and Hoshi giggled, "Well the one sec I will let you and Ichigo continue your conversation while I run to the back and grab Keiichiro!" said and ran off.

* * *

Ok It's finally done!! YAY CHAPTER 3

May the stars guide you. Comment please!


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